


Reunions And Rings

by JaneyKatherineHummingbird



Series: Not Your Typical McKirk [5]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Bones is less grumpy, F/M, Fluff galore, Jim gets sappy, Marriage Proposal, The happy reunion, joanna is happy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-11
Updated: 2016-03-11
Packaged: 2018-05-26 00:50:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6217006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JaneyKatherineHummingbird/pseuds/JaneyKatherineHummingbird
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Enterprise returns, Jo gets ready to graduate, and Jim pops the question.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reunions And Rings

Three years was a long time, but for Jim and Jo, it flew by much quicker than they thought. The Enterprise (and Jim) had plenty of close calls, and Joanna began to understand why her father was so stressed out all the time working with Jim. He went MIA on a forbidding planet for a week and scared everyone badly when his life signs disappeared entirely. 

When he returned, battered and scruffy, TWO McCoy's lectured him, one in person and one by video.

"Is this how it's gonna be when you're in my crew?", he asked, trying to look as pitiful as possible.

"Yep. Better get ready for it, sweetie-pie." Joanna smiled angelically. Bones grinned evilly. He took great satisfaction in the fact that his daughter was already very skilled at Jim-wrangling, which was a full-time job in itself. 

Joanna, meanwhile was working through a grueling school schedule to become a Starfleet nurse. She'd thought about becoming a doctor, but that would mean missing the next five year mission, and Jim. One didn't take life with a Kirk for granted. 

Her classmates knew she was dating someone on the Enterprise, but she only told her two closest friends who it actually was. She did not want Jim to get hounded or accused of inappropriate conduct and she certainly didn't need reporters bugging her. 

The Enterprise returned to earth three days before graduation and excitement levels around campus were high. Joanna went to greet her dad and Carol, now his fiancé, as they stepped off the shuttle. Jim, being captain, was expected much later. 

"Dad!" She flung herself into his arms and he held her close.

"Hey, Jo-bear, I've missed you." He took a closer look at her in her cadet reds."Wow. Look at my little girl all grown up and graduated. Goodness, Carol, can you believe this?"

"It's remarkable" came the lovely British voice from his side. "She's definitely taking after you, Leonard. How are you, Joanna?"

Joanna turned and gave her a hug, too. "Excited, exhausted, and thrilled that you guys made it back. Exams kicked my butt," she admitted.

"You did so well, though.They tell me you're third in your class. I'm proud of you, Jo. You'll make a fine nurse." Leonard's smile grew bigger. "Now look behind you and you'll find your graduation present."

Curious, Joanna turned around. There, looking more handsome than ever in his Starfleet grays was Captain James T. Kirk, grinning at her.

"Jim!!!" She almost tackled him when she ran into his arms. Laughing, he picked her up and spun her around. "Joanna Elizabeth, you are a sight for sore eyes." He set her down and took her face in his hands, drinking in the sight of her. 

"Man, you're so beautiful," he breathed. "It's so good to see you in person."

Happy tears were leaking from both of their eyes and he gently wiped hers off with his thumb.

"We made it, Jim", she said shakily, hugging him close. "Four long years, but we made it."

He leaned down and kissed her the way he had wanted to for years, pouring out years of pent up feeling in their first meeting of lips. Joanna kissed back hungrily, not caring if the whole world saw. She had her Jim at last. 

"We sure did", he whispered into her hair when they broke apart, "and I'm even more in love than ever."

She nuzzled her face against his grey-clad chest, breathing against his heart. He smelled so good. Whatever cologne he was wearing was intoxicating.

"I love you, James Tiberius, and your scent. Hmmm.." Joanna breathed in deeply, enjoying the enticing aroma. His vivid blue eyes twinkled as he chuckled at her.

"I knew that was a good choice. I took some advice from Carol."

Joanna looked over at her Dad and Dr. Marcus, who were holding hands and looking at them rather tearfully.

"Awww, you guys are so cute together", she teased, still trying to keep emotion at bay.

"Pot meet kettle", retorted her dad, "I've never seen Jim so disgustingly sappy."

"Happy, you meant to say", corrected Jim, "and you are, too."

"So I am", Bones admitted as he wrapped an arm around Carol, "so I am."

The four of them made their way to Carol's place that evening after the Starfleet obligations were taken care of. They relaxed, ate pizza, ("only because this is a special occasion, Jim") and Joanna sat next to Jim on the sofa, listening to endless tales of adventure (running from aliens who believed blue-eyed people were demons), hilarity (when Jim was turned into an otter-like creature and had to spend two days in a special tank before Spock and Scotty figured out how to fix him), and woe (Creatures that tortured Jim with his worst nightmares. He refused to say what it was).

Her Dad told about the satisfaction of being able to deliver a cure to a small group of natives, who were dying from a horrible plague and some of the strange diseases they encountered. 

"Well it's no wonder you both have more grey" observed Joanna. She gently stroked the silvery strands by Jim's temple. "All that crazy stuff happening made it turn color like leaves in autumn. And here I thought Xenobiology class was stress inducing. They had better assign me to the Enterprise or I'm going to riot." 

At this determined statement, Jim looked away, a strange smile on his face. "About that, I know how to make sure that happens. But it involves your other present."

Bones coughed suddenly and winked knowingly, giving a nod at Jim. Carol picked up on the silent message and they excused themselves, declaring it was a nice night for a walk. Joanna had a sneaking feeling about what was coming next. 

Jim strode over to his jacket that he had discarded and removed something from the pocket. He returned to the sofa, but instead of sitting back down beside her, he knelt in front of her. Joanna's heart leapt into her throat as he took her hand. 

"Jo, you know by now I'm head over heels in love with you. We may not have had many dates on the same planet, but we've known each other so long, it feels like we have. When those Aliens showed me my worst nightmare, it was losing you in increasingly brutal ways. I want to be with you for the rest of my life and explore the Universe together. Will you marry me?" He looked at her with those beautiful ocean-colored eyes full of hope, love, and a touch of fear. 

Joanna smiled tremulously. The joy inside her was making it hard to speak. But she managed at last. "Yes, Jim, I would love to marry you, you crazy wonderful man."

He beamed at her then, the crinkles showing at the corners of his eyes. "Then you may want this", he said merrily, opening up the box he had retrieved to display a lovely gold ring set with an oval shaped diamond and two tiny emeralds on either side. It took Joanna's breath away.

"Jim!", she gasped as he slid it on her left hand, "It's stunning! How in the world....?"

"I had my sources, and several years to plan for this", Jim said mysteriously, pulling her into his arms. This time she kissed him senseless. 

Needless to say, at the graduation ceremony three days later many people marveled at how Cadet McCoy seemed to be literally glowing.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you liked this!! I really enjoy doing rare pairs and was inspired by EldritchHorrors' Swashing, Maybe A Little Buckling for the Jim/Joanna pairing. Obviously, I went in a more serious direction, exploring the age difference dynamic. If there is a positive response,(comments, perhaps)I might write the wedding, otherwise I'm going to repost The First Dance as the last part.


End file.
